Kirkus & IndieNext & Birthdays

As I mentioned before, those trade reviews are coming in, and the last one finally came my way, from Kirkus. It’s not a “starred” review, but as my editor keeps reminding me, three out of four really isn’t bad. Still, the reviewer clearly enjoyed the book and gave us the oh so quotable final line: “Only le Carré can make a spy as interesting.” (review below)

Also, the book has been chosen as a March 2009 “IndieNext” pick—what used to be called the BookSense pick list. As many of you know, this is a wonderful thing as it gets the independent bookstores’ marketing behind the book, gaining it extra display space and notice in the many wonderful independent bookstores throughout the States. So thank you, American Booksellers Association, for your support!

Of course, the real news around here is Margo’s first birthday, which we’re going to celebrate here in Novi Sad with her cousin, Lana, one year her senior. Margo’s on the cusp of a lot of things—almost walking unaided, almost speaking so that we can understand, almost able to feed herself without forcing us to bring in professional cleaners afterwards. In her first year, she’s survived multiple international trips, a fall on the head, and the irritation of living with a novelist, but not once has she complained about her difficult life…okay, maybe a few times, but not as often as she could have. Which makes her far more amenable to life’s troubles than her parents.